Chapter 231: New Neighbors

“The secret technique for enhancing Core Formation quality has gone missing. Some say the Poison Dragon Spring Lord stole it.”

The Poison Dragon Spring was a second-rank spirit meridian, much like Gu Demon Mountain.

The Poison Dragon Spring Lord was one of the seven top Foundation Establishment experts in the demonic cultivation realm.

“Keep an eye out and don’t get involved,” Chen Luo instructed Ding Zhao.

After dismissing Ding Zhao, Chen Luo strengthened the array defenses around Gu Demon Mountain. Unlike the other six Old Demons occupying second-rank spirit meridians, Chen Luo’s cultivation remained at the late Foundation Establishment stage - still lacking that crucial edge. This deficiency required constant compensation through array enhancements.

The current situation in the demonic cultivation realm felt distinctly unstable, making vigilance even more critical.

Having reinforced the arrays, Chen Luo returned to his cultivation chamber.

The chamber overflowed with spiritual materials - a clear advantage of claiming a mountain as one’s domain. As long as the spirit meridian persisted, resources would never run dry. While this method might not yield immediate gains like raiding others, its stability proved far more reliable.

“First, I’ll refine some Pure Origin Primordial Qi Pills.”

With a flick of Chen Luo’s sleeve, Elder An’s Pill Furnace flew out. A swift incantation later, it ignited with self-sustaining flames. Having accumulated resources for so long, he could now safely enter seclusion for a while.

Two days later, Chen Luo finished refining the Pure Origin Primordial Qi Pills - a full gourd containing nearly a hundred pills.

These were late Foundation Establishment stage pills. The fact that he could gather this many spiritual materials in just a few years showed how profitable Gu Demon Mountain was. The only thing lacking was the main ingredient. The supply of the main ingredient from Fox Mountain was very limited. Even though there were still some auxiliary ingredients left, without the main ingredient, the auxiliary ones could only be set aside - there was no way to refine them further.

After storing the pills in the gourd, Chen Luo began refining the Guiyuan Pills.

Time passed unnoticed in seclusion - two years flew by in the blink of an eye.

Through Chen Luo’s tireless efforts, he managed to refine a batch of thirty Guiyuan Pills. Nine of them achieved Perfect Pill Formation, while the rest he sent to Ding Zhao for disposal. Now, the biggest source of income for Gu Demon Mountain came from the pills Chen Luo had failed to refine properly.

The market at the foot of Gu Demon Mountain became a renowned trading point for pills in the area. Many rogue cultivators came seeking fame, and word spread that the mountain lord of Gu Demon Mountain was a second-rank pill refiner. Some even approached Chen Luo, asking him to refine spirit pills for them. Chen Luo readily accepted these small jobs that expanded his pill-refining knowledge. Gradually, his reputation began to spread.

The change in leadership at Gu Demon Mountain naturally attracted some troubles.

However, Chen Luo easily dealt with these troubles using second-rank formations and his own strength. Several more Foundation Establishment brains were added to his Pouch of Holding. The most dangerous incident involved a rogue cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment who brought a second-rank magic artifact. After three days of fierce battle, Chen Luo used the formation’s power to severely injure the cultivator. This incident solidified Gu Demon Mountain’s position completely.

Chen Luo became one of the seven most famous Old Demons in the demonic cultivation realm. Gu Demon Khan Jiu became history, and the new mountain lord Chen Luo was called ‘Pill Formation Master’. Like the title ‘Gu Demon’, this new title demonstrated his abilities.

Apart from events at Gu Demon Mountain, the demonic cultivation realm was also turbulent. Several major incidents occurred one after another, with the waves of turmoil never ceasing.

First, the Poison Dragon Spring Lord became the target of several assassins due to his possession of a ‘Core Formation secret technique’. The conflict erupted at the outskirts of Five Eyes Temple, resulting in over a dozen powerful cultivators’ deaths. The Poison Dragon Spring Lord’s whereabouts remain unknown, and the fate of the Core Formation secret technique is equally mysterious.

Over the following year, multiple ancient ruins were discovered, each yielding different ‘Core Formation secret techniques’. Each revelation sparked bloody conflicts. While some suspected a deeper pattern, the allure of immediate gain proved irresistible. Every participant convinced themselves they were the exception.

The second major event involved a clash between the Demonseed Sect and the Hu Clan. The Demonseed Sect Leader ventured deep into Hu Clan territory and inadvertently provoked their Core Formation Ancestor. Severely wounded, he barely managed to flee back to his sect.

Gu Demon Mountain.

Chen Luo opened his eyes, a wisp of energy swirling around him as the gray-white mist gradually dissipated.

His cultivation aura now bore a striking resemblance to the Void Sage’s. However, unlike the Void Sage, Chen Luo’s surroundings lacked both the unfolding scroll and the faint female apparition. Though practicing the same cultivation technique, each practitioner’s path diverged at this advanced stage, manifesting distinct external phenomena.

After their last battle with a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, Gu Demon Mountain had gone into seclusion. Under Chen Luo’s directive, all external operations except basic transactions had been suspended.

Noticing Chen Luo’s awakening from cultivation, Ding Zhao promptly reported recent developments, including the affairs of the Poison Dragon Spring Lord and the Demonseed Sect Leader.

He also detailed Gu Demon Mountain’s progress:

“We’ve successfully acquired these three ancient corpses at a cost of fifty thousand high-grade spirit stones.”

The venture with Grainger from Corpse Water River, which had taken two years to bear fruit, finally showed results. Just days prior, the first shipment of high-level cultivator remains arrived. These ancient corpses, unsuitable for corpse cultivation, had been secretly pilfered by Grainger’s disciples.

With a sweep of spiritual energy, the three coffins near Ding Zhao flew to Chen Luo’s side. He pressed his hand against one of the corpses.

Corpse brainwave detected, degradation 99%. Read data?

Read!

After confirming it was a Foundation Establishment cultivator’s brain, Chen Luo immediately chose to read it. His spiritual energy reserves had grown significantly over the past two years, allowing for greater capacity.

“Excellent. Continue acquiring them.”

Gray energy flowed from the palm into his body.

Chen Luo’s eyes flickered with approval, acknowledging Ding Zhao’s capabilities. These three brains belonged to Foundation Establishment experts. Due to their prolonged death and lack of lingering will, Chen Luo couldn’t discern their original abilities and would need to research corresponding knowledge later.

Ding Zhao let out a sigh of relief.

As time passed, the pressure he felt from Chen Luo - his former junior - grew increasingly intense. This sensation surpassed even what he’d experienced facing the peak lord during their days at the God Lake Immortal Sect.

“There’s another matter requiring your decision, Mountain Lord.”

“Speak.”

Having just absorbed three brains, Chen Luo was in an exceptionally good mood.

“Blackstone City recently sent envoys to seek you out and delivered this token. They claim the former Gu Demon Khan Jiu had once possessed it.”

As Ding Zhao spoke, he hastily presented the token in his hand.

Chen Luo extended his palm, and the token flew into his grasp.

The moment it touched his hand, Chen Luo sensed a stream of information flowing from the token into his sea of consciousness.

Blackstone City Elder’s Token

Elder’s Token?

Chen Luo examined the token in his hand, suddenly understanding how the Blackstone Ancestor controlled the entire demonic cultivation realm. All seven second-rank spirit meridians required Blackstone City’s Elder’s Token. Refusal would mean declaring war against Blackstone City. In this realm, no one would dare do such a thing.

“I understand.”

He pocketed the token and, after explaining the tax payment procedures to Blackstone City, considered the matter settled.

After seeing off Ding Zhao, Chen Luo returned to his cultivation chamber.

These past two years of cultivation had depleted all his accumulated resources. With the aid of Pills and spirit meridians, the spiritual energy dragons within him had grown by two more, reaching eighty-two in total.

However, progress slowed at this stage. As the spiritual energy dragons gathered more spiritual energy, advancement became increasingly arduous. At this rate, reaching the ninety-nine spiritual energy dragons required for late Foundation Establishment would take at least forty years, let alone achieving full Foundation Establishment.

While this pace might be considered rapid for other cultivators, it proved insufficient for Chen Luo. Having practiced cultivation for twenty-three years already - eighteen since leaving the God Lake Immortal Sect - he calculated that the sect’s leader likely had only a decade remaining.

“My cultivation of the Demon Bone Array Sigil Art has stagnated recently. I still can’t complete the inscription of the second bone area.”

Seated cross-legged in his secret chamber, Chen Luo reflected on his progress over the past two years.

“I must focus on the Demonic Heart Art! Only by getting close to those undergoing Transcendence can I break through quickly.”

Chen Luo extended his hand, summoning a silver centipede that materialized in his palm.

The creature’s back shimmered with a faint golden light - the Soul-Parasitic Gu, a byproduct of his last Demonic Heart Art cultivation.

“Approaching Transcendence cultivators directly is too dangerous. Not everyone is like Elder FusionSpirit, who dared to attempt Transcendence in the public eye of Blackstone City.”

The silver centipede wriggled across Chen Luo’s hand. Remembering the gu’s ability to extend one’s divine sense, he recalled how it had allowed him to observe the relay station beyond his normal perception range.

Could this little thing help me infiltrate a Transcendence cultivator’s seclusion?

“Let’s test it.”

Without delay, Chen Luo closed his eyes in meditation. The silver centipede shot out from Gu Demon Mountain with a whoosh.

Transcendence cultivators were rare, but Chen Luo resolved to find a suitable subject first.

The Demonic Heart isn’t exclusive to those who have passed Transcendence. Even ordinary cultivators possess it, though their power pales in comparison to that of Transcendence passers.

After departing Gu Demon Mountain, a dark golden streak of light arced across the sky, materializing within Pingshan Creek.

This was once the domain of Shangren Yinwind.

Following the Demonseed Sect Leader’s passage through this region, the place had changed hands. To this day, Chen Luo hadn’t bothered to greet his new neighbor. Today’s encounter presented the perfect opportunity for some ‘exchange’ of ideas.

The caterpillar slithered silently through mountain crevices into a cavern, its sharp claws scraping against the stone ceiling.

He’d trod this path before - the way was familiar!

Within the cavern lay a first-tier warning formation.

With Chen Luo’s current formation mastery, this paltry first-tier warning formation might as well not exist. Controlling the Silver Centipede, he effortlessly evaded the defenses. With a flick of its wings, the creature glided noiselessly to the side of the meditating figure.

His new neighbor was a gaunt old man with a withered face. His emaciated body lay surrounded by several dead women - clearly victims of his feeding. This was a demonic cultivator practicing the Yin-Yang Dao. Even in the demonic cultivation realm, such practitioners were universally reviled as street rats, despised by all.